Love Always, Ellie
by purplePhenomena
Summary: Albus Potter meets a pretty girl with a strange past. They become friends, but, with the New Regime rising both in Hogwarts, and in the outside world, will Ellie be on his side, or will she doom them all? And what's so special about her, anyways?
1. The girl

Albus sighed as he followed James through the barrier. It was his third year, and still, James insisted on treating him like a baby. His mother was already on the other side with Lily. Al dragged his trunk sullenly behind him. "AL!" yelled a very familiar voice. He turned just in time to be practically run over Rose Weasley. Her brilliant red hair was flying everywhere, and her blue eyes were sparkling. "Hey Rose. You act like you didn't just see me last week." Rose stepped back. "Oh yeah…I forgot about that. Well come on, we need to get a compartment!" Rose dragged him onto the train, down the carriages, and into an empty compartment at the back. Her trunk was already there, and she quickly shoved Al's next to it. She was about to run out the door again when she ran into a tall boy with blond hair. "Watch where you're going, would you, Weasley?" smirked the boy. "Oh, you watch it, Malfoy!" Albus made eye contact with Scorpius Malfoy and tried to hide his laughter. Scor shot him a death glare, which only made him smile more. Rose brushed past Scorpius, arguing all the way, while Scorpius followed slightly behind her, taunting her. Al sighed. He knew he should go back outside to say goodbye to his family, but he wouldn't just yet. He settled down against the seat, watching his mother fuss over Lily and his father reprimand James. Al was always the odd one out, the one who was different. James was practically a living copy of his namesake, and Lily seemed to channel her grandmother's spirit. But Al didn't. He had no real connection to his family, only to mysterious strangers who had died long ago.

He was lost in his thoughts and didn't hear the door open, or the girl walk in. He only realized he was no longer alone when a soft voice spoke up. "Hello? Are you sitting alone? May I sit with you?" Al turned to face a girl with the darkest eyes he had ever seen. They were blue, and green, and also almost black. They were vortexes in the middle of an otherwise pale face. She smiled slightly, and tilted her head, so her shoulder length, white-blond curls delicately spilled over her shoulders. "Hi," gulped Al. "My name is Albus Potter."

"Oh, you're a Potter. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. I think."

The girl giggled. She perched on the seat closest to the door. "What's your name?" Al asked, "And why have I never seen you before?"

The girl looked at him. "You can call me Ellie. You've never met me before because I've just moved here from Bulgaria with my brother."

"I have a brother too, how old is yours?"

"He's twenty three."

"Oh, mine's fifteen."

She smiled again, then looked out the window. Al worked up the courage to ask, "How old are you?"

"Thirteen." She replied. He smiled at her. "Me too." The girl tilted her head curiously. "We can be friends, then. I've never really had a friend before." Al was startled by this girl, by Ellie's open admission that she had never had a friend before.

"Didn't you have friends in Bulgaria?"

She sighed, looking out the window. "Only my brother," she replied, "and him only when he came home. I was home schooled, you see. But my brother wished for me to go to Hogwarts after my- I mean, when I turned thirteen. It's just me and him."

Al was about to respond when the door crashed open and a very irritable Rose Weasley stalked in. "I am going to strangle Scorpius Malfoy with my bare hands. That little- Oh. Sorry. Who are you?"

Ellie looked up at the flame-haired girl. "Call me Ellie." Rose opened her mouth to respond when Scorpius entered the compartment again, saying in a sing-song voice, "Rosie-Posie, pudding and pie, she glared and made the flowers die." Rose turned around so fast she nearly fell over. "SCORPIUS MALFOY!" she screamed, glaring, "FLOWERS ARE NOT THE ONLY THINGS MY GLARES KILL!" Ellie shrank a little in her seat, as Scorpius and Al laughed, and Rose fumed. Al glanced at Ellie, and seeing her obvious discomfort, introduced her to Scorpius. "Hey, Scor, this is Ellie. She just moved here from Bulgaria." Scorpius turned to face the blond, saying, "Hey there. Scorpius Malfoy." Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I got that from the girl screaming at the top of her lungs." She replied. Scorpius laughed as Rose turned bright red. "I think I'm going to like this girl, Al."

When they got to school, Ellie quickly realized her luck. It was obvious that by befriending Rose, Al, and Scor, she had automatically been included in the coolest of cliques, dominated by the Potters and the Weasleys. They seemed to know everyone, and everyone either loved or hated them. She met James and Lorlei, and Fred, and Dominique, and countless other Weasley cousins that turned into a blur of grinning faces and flaming hair. She was whisked up to the castle in a carriage with the others. She gasped at the sheer size of Hogwarts, voicing her admiring opinions of the beautiful castle.

Upon entering the Great Hall, she was stopped by a formidable woman in emerald green. "Hello. I'm Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts. You, being a third year, will be Sorted after the first years. You may wait in here." She lead Ellie to a small room off to the side of the Entrance Hall. She waved a half hearted goodbye to Al, and followed McGonagall into the waiting room.

It had been nearly half an hour, listening to the names of first years being called and Sorted. When the final name was called, McGonagall said, "We have some extenuating circumstances today. We have a new student who has just moved hear from Bulgaria. She will be a third year." McGonagall beckoned Ellie. Hands trembling, Ellie walked from the back of the room, past the four House tables, to the stool where the Sorting Hat sat. She saw Al wave to her, and Rose smile, from the Gryffindor table. She tentatively sat on the small stool. Professor McGonagall announced:

"This, students, is Elora Riddle."

***GASP!* A Riddle?**


	2. The Sorting

Whispers ran through the Hall. Riddle, that name was familiar, but no one quite knew why. Ellie blushed and stared at her feet. McGonagall lowered the Sorting Hat onto her blond curls.

"Hmmm…." Ellie jumped at the voice in her ear. "A very interesting decision, yes, very intriguing. You have all the qualities of a Gryffindor, that is true, but there's something that makes you different….yes, well, better be…SLYTHERIN!" All Ellie could hear were the cheers that erupted to her right. She removed the Hat, standing up in the same instant. She walked to the Slytherin table automatically, robotically taking a seat next to Scorpius Malfoy. All the while, she was thinking about why the Hat had chosen to put her in Slytherin. After all, it had talked about her having the qualities of a Gryffindor, so why Slytherin? What was it that made her so surely a Slytherin?

She was snapped out of her reverie by Scorpius, offering her rolls. She took one, and smiled shyly at Scor. He grinned back. "Welcome to Slytherin, Ellie. House for the cunning and ambitious, that's us." He caught her glance over to their friends at the Gryffindor table. "Don't worry," he said, "You'll see them all enough. We meet in the library after dinner, and we'll have some classes with them. But, of course, for the most part, you'll be stuck with me." Ellie glanced up at him, and, seeing his smile, smiled back. Scorpius and Ellie both burst into laughter at the same time. Everyone else at the table just sort of glared at them.

Stifling his laughter, Scorpius began to question Ellie about Bulgaria, her classes, how she was finding England, and where she lived. She seemed to dislike talking about her past, but she openly questioned him about his father, and his own past.

By the time dessert was served, Scor and Ellie were talking like they'd known each other for years. Most of the table was under the impression they were related, because of their white blond hair and pale skin, but when Angeline Goyle asked, both denied that they had even known each other before they met on the train that afternoon.

By the time they returned to the common room after the feast, they were well on their way to being best friends.

Ellie shared her dorm with four other girls. Angeline Goyle, Amanda Greengrass, an estranged cousin of Scor's, Lillian Zabini, and Michelle Parkinson. As Ellie quietly prepared for bed, Michelle and Lillian talked about how fit they thought Scorpius was, with his blond hair just the perfect length, and his smoky gray eyes. Strangely, Ellie hadn't noticed any of these things the entire time she was talking to Scor. She didn't think about how attractive he was, hadn't even noticed.

Sitting in bed, her blond hair floating over her shoulders and down her back, she stared at a picture. They picture showed a young man with blond hair and dark eyes, smirking and rolling his eyes at the camera. Her brother. Benedict. Ben. That day, he had been trying to get her to leave the house, back in Bulgaria, but all she had wanted to do was take pictures with her new camera. So she and her brother had struck a deal. She could take her camera with her if she went. She had gone, of course, because under her stubborn demeanor, she couldn't disappoint him.

She never could disappoint Ben, because he was all she had left.


	3. The threat

**Author's Note: this chapter is kinda...strange at the end, a little violent. **

Ellie sat down with a thump. Scorpius raised his eyes from his newspaper just long enough to raise an eyebrow at her. This was unusual. Normally, Scor was talkative in the morning. Ellie was the quiet one. She wondered what story could keep Scor's attention so focused on the article. Ellie ran a hand through her ponytail, yawned, and stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth. She stood up, thinking she'd just have to go talk to Rose and Al at the Gryffindor table.

The Gryffindors, in fact, the entire school, had gotten used to Ellie and Scor's frequenting of the Gryffindor table. They were forgiven because they were friends of the Potter-Weasley clan. Ellie waved to James, who had Rory practically sitting in his lap, and to Dom, who was too bust talking to Lily and Hugo to do much more that nod.

She went and plopped herself down between Rose and Al. Rose didn't look up from her paper, but Al turned to smile at her. "Why's everyone so concerned with the paper this morning?" Al's smile dropped off his face. "I think you had better read this, Ellie." He handed her a copy of the Daily Prophet.

**The New Regime Strikes Again**

The unknown entity calling itself the New Regime has been the perpetrators of yet another hideous crime. After last month's attacks in Southern England, the wave of fear is spreading north. This time, to London itself. Representatives of the New Regime have murdered two wizards, found dead in the sitting rooms of their homes, with a blank business card in between their teeth. They appeared to have been Stupefied, then killed by Muggle means. For the first time in 25 years, people are afraid to step outside their own homes. This horrific murder proves that you don't have to leave your home, to be murdered. The wizards in question were a pureblood and a half blood, and there were no apparent connections between the two. This is only a continuation of the murders and disappearances of last month…(Cont pg 3)

Ellie gaped at the story. "Are they serious?" she whispered to Al. "Apparently so." he whispered back. "Dad's been on the case for months now, trying to catch the man who did it. They don't think it's a Death Eater thing, because they killed a pureblood. But that only proves no one's safe. They don't know who they're going after." Al looked grim.

Scor came over, tucking his newspaper into his bag. "Hey Al, Rose, Ellie." Rose glanced up and nodded. This got Ellie's mind off the New Regime, if only for a moment. Rose had said hello to Scor, but not her? Normally, it was the other way around. This made her wonder what was going on between them. She started when Al said, "Come on, Ellie, we don't have all day! Classes start soon!" She nodded, collecting her bag, and followed Al out the door.

Their first class was Potions. Professor Horace Slughorn was the oldest professor Ellie had ever seen. He was a brilliant potion maker, but he was a boring teacher. Luckily enough, Ellie wasn't a bad potion maker, although she had nothing on Rose's brilliance. They went to sit in their respective seats, Rose and Ellie at one table, Al and Scor at the table right behind them. Ellie sighed as she pulled out her cauldron.

That night, Al and Ellie sat in the library. It was almost midnight. Al rubbed his eyes as he stared at the History of Magic essay, still ten inches short. Ellie rolled her eyes. "Here, Al, let's trade." She handed him her Transfiguration essay, and took his essay. She began reading his essay. After only reading half, she said, "Al, you do know this is supposed to be on the Goblin wars of 1245, not 1567, right?" Al gazed up at her in horror. "You mean there are two different sets?" he said, obviously horrified. Ellie laughed. "Yes. Tell you what, you can copy mine, its been down for a while. Don't want you falling asleep in class tomorrow, eh?" He smiled gratefully. Ellie smiled back, her heart beating fast in her ears. His green eyes were watching her so closely, she thought they might be able to see her every thought. She glanced down, embarrassed to feel her cheeks turning hot. Al grinned as she blushed, relieved that she couldn't hear his heart beating like it was going to fly out of his chest, feel the butterflies in his stomach, or notice his own blush. Al shook his head. It was only Ellie, after all. One of his best friends. That's all.

It was one by the time they ad finished their respective essays. Al was rolling up his History of Magic essay, glaring at it like it had personally wronged him. Ellie was almost falling asleep, hardly able to walk in a straight line. It was well past curfew, and James had the Invisibility Cloak, so Al had to rely on his instinct to not get them caught. He whispered, 'Ellie, you're dead on your feet, let me walk you back to your common room, okay?" She sleepily nodded. They tread the familiar steps down to the dungeon room.

After Ellie was safely inside, Al turned to walk back to his own dorm. He had reached the Entrance Hall when he heard the sound of footsteps. Terrified, he shrank into the shadows. The figure was that of a student, though. And they set a bucket of paint down on the floor, opened it, and took out a paint brush. Al didn't want to see any more, so he raced up the steps, not daring to breath until he had reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room.

The next morning, Ellie woke up early. There was something wrong, something that didn't quite feel right. Her brother had often called it her Dark-detector. She could feel a sort of chill in the air. There was something wrong. It was breakfast time, so she got ready, as quickly as she could. Coming up the stairs by the Great Hall, she almost ran into a small group of students, making a circle around the doors to the Great Hall. Ellie smelled paint. She pushed her way through the circle until she found herself right at the edge of the crowd. What she saw nearly made her faint.

Hanging from the ceiling, suspended by a rope, was a child's doll. The doll's face had been painted brilliant red, and the paint dripped softly to the floor. _Plop. Plop. _The doll's head lolled sideways, because she was suspended by her neck.

Behind the doll, on the doors themselves, were the words "THE NEW REGIME IS RISING" written in red paint that looked horribly like blood.


	4. The lost memory

**Author's note: I forgot to mention, I think, that Ellie is now a fifth year. **

**Amy Eva: Hmmm...I guess it is kinda like the Chamber, but not really. or, it won't be. andd.....yes. definitely.  
**

Ellie couldn't stop shaking. It had been a full two hours since she had seen the threat painted on the wall. Considering the dealings of the New Regime outside Hogwarts, the students were told to return to their dorms and not leave. Ellie was sitting in front of the fire, watching the flames dancing in the grate. Scor was watching her nervously. Most of the students seemed nervous, but Ellie seemed to have taken it especially hard.

In his own dorm, Al was watching Rose pace back and forth. Fred and James were sitting with the Marauder's Map in the corner, watching people. It was a habit they had formed very early on. Rory was shaking her head at them. Rose turned to Al. "Maybe it was some kind of mistake." she said. Al raised his eyebrows. "Rose. Think about what you're saying." She sighed, "Yes, but the New Regime? At Hogwarts? You know what they're doing in the outside world, don't you? I mean, here of all places!" Rose continued to fret and pace. Al sighed. "Rosie, I'm going to bed." He snuck up the dormitory stairs. His circular bedroom was still empty. He dug through his trunk until he found the mirror. Ellie had the other one. They'd been using them to arrange meetings since the fourth year. "Ellie?" he whispered. The mirror's image was dark. Suddenly, light appeared on it, and a hand came down and picked up the other mirror. Ellie's face appeared in the glass. "Al?" she whispered. "Its me." he replied. Ellie rolled her eyes.

"Who else would it be?" Al smiled.

"I want to meet up with you, and talk about this." Ellie bit her lip.

"I don't know, Al, can't we do it through the mirror?"

Al shook his head. "It's not safe enough!"

"No, Al. I'm not leaving."

"Why not? You were always up for rule-breaking before!"

"Al, this goes beyond ordinary rule breaking! If the person who did that is really with the New Regime, you have no idea what they could be capable of!"

"Fine, Ellie."

Al turned the mirror over so she would no longer be able to see his face. Ellie stared at the now-black mirror. Her mouth was set in a line. Something about this whole situation didn't sit right. There was something lingering on the edge of her consciousness, something she should have known, but couldn't remember. Something that was important, but was just out of her reach. She bit her lip. What was it?

And, more importantly, why couldn't she remember it?

Rumors were spreading like wildfire. People were suspicious of anybody who might have any sort of involvement with the New Regime. Unfortunately, Scor was under question. His father's less-than-spotless track record lead people to think that he was behind it. Ellie knew that was ridiculous, mostly just because she trusted Scor. But what if she was wrong? What if he was the one to do it, and that was what she couldn't remember? Ellie shuddered, then sat at her place at the Slytherin table. It was lunchtime, and Scor, as usual, was doing his Transfiguration homework. They had Transfiguration right after lunch, and Scor never did his homework. Ellie sighed as she sat next to him. She wasn't sure how to deal with her doubts, and was sure that this day was going to horrible. After her and Al's fight, she wasn't sure if he would be talking to her. She moaned and let her head drop against the table.

It was late, and all was quiet. Ellie was sitting in the library, writing a novel of a letter to her brother.

_Ben,_

_You've probably heard about the recent events here at Hogwarts. Its rather shocking. I thought Hogwarts, of all places, would be safe. The New Regime is scaring me, Ben, and I'm not sure what to do. I feel as though there is something I can't quite remember, something on the edge of my memory that I can't quite recall. I'm really worried. One of my friends is being accused of painting the graffiti, but I don't think he did it. I feel as thought some sort of memory charm has been placed on me. Do you remember when I was ten, and that memory spell rebounded on me? The feeling is just like that, as though there's something I should be remembering, but don't. Please write back soon, brother, and I can't wait to see you at Christmas._

_Much Love,_

_Elora Jane Riddle_

Ellie rolled up the parchment, making her way up to the Owlery. She tied the letter to the leg of her owl, Athena, and she flew off into the night. Ellie watched her until she turned into a tiny speck, and then she couldn't be seen anymore.

Walking down from the Owlery, Ellie realized just how big Hogwarts was. She was accustomed to big houses, because she had lived in manors all her life. But Hogwarts was so huge. She crossed the Entrance Hall, hardly daring to breathe, afraid, for the first time in her life, of the smallest noises, and the shadows against the walls. She practically ran back to the Slytherin common room.

She had reached the dungeon level when the footsteps started. Ellie froze. The footsteps followed her, clear and distinct. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart choked her. She crept, half frozen, edging along the walls towards the Slytherin common room. A figure turned the corner behind her. "Who's there?" said a voice in a low, harsh whisper. Ellie didn't dare to move. The person came up behind her and grabbed her shoulder. Ellie was too scared to scream as she was turned around, and wand light blinded her. The man whispered, "_Obliviate_." Ellie's eyes slid out of focus, and she slumped to the floor, no longer able to remain standing. Darkness bit the edges of her eyesight, and she passed out, slumped in a heap outside the door of the Slytherin common room.


	5. The invalid

**Happy Valentine's Day! There's not much love in this, but hey.**

Al had woken up that morning with the feeling that something was off. He tried to shrug it off, but it kept bothering him. It tugged on his thoughts as he got ready, as he met Rose in the common room, and as he made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He figured it out when he saw Scor's blond head, alone at the Slytherin table. Ellie was nowhere in sight. Frowning, Al asked Rose if she knew where Ellie was. Rose looked at him quizzically. "I assume she's over at the Slytheirn table…oh." Rose had seen Scor sitting alone. The cousins shared a look before standing up and making their way to the Slytherin table.

Scor looked up as they approached. He looked very worried. "Have you lot seen Ellie?" Rose bit her lip as Al responded, "We were just coming to ask you the same thing."

The three fifth years spent the entirety of breakfast speculating about where Ellie could have gone.

"I saw her go up to her dorm room last night, at about eight. That's a little early, but nothing to worry about. I went up at ten. When I came down in the morning, she wasn't there. I waited for her, but she never came down. I assumed she'd already gone to breakfast, but when I got here, she wasn't anywhere in sight." Scorpius related the events of the previous evening. Al's brow furrowed as he frowned. "We should probably tell someone."

Rose bit her lip. "I don't know, I mean, she could just be in the library, or still asleep. There are hundreds of reasons that could be why she's not here, and not all of them are bad things."

Al sighed. "I guess you're right. If she's not here by first class, we'll say something. Professor Longbottom wouldn't say anything to anyone else, how about him?" All three agreed that this was probably a good plan.

Al and Rose were on their way back to the Gryffindor table when suddenly, Rose stopped. "Hey, Al, isn't that your dad?" she asked. Sure enough, standing just outside the doors, talking to Professor McGonagall, was the tall figure of Harry Potter. Al nodded. "I wonder what he's doing here. I'm going to go ask." Leaving Rose at the table, Al made his way over to his father.

"Dad?" he asked, when he was close enough. "Al. We were just going to go get you."

"Dad, what's the matter? Why are you here?"

"Al, I'm afraid that there has been an….accident, of sorts."

Al's eyes got huge. "Is Mum alright? What's happened?"

"Your mother is fine. The accident was here at Hogwarts."

"Ellie." Al whispered under his breath. His father looked at him quizzically. "Yes, Elora Riddle. Come with me." Harry led Al up the wide stairs. Al's stomach sank with every step he took.

Al's dread intensified as he was lead to the Hospital Wing. Outside the door, sitting against a bench, was a very familiar red-haired man. "Uncle Ron?" asked Al. Ron looked up. "Yes. And your Aunt Mione is inside." This made sense, because Aunt Mione was a Healer, and a very good one. "Al," said his father, "You are going to have to remain calm, and you can't say a word about what you see or hear to anyone. Is that understood?" Al nodded. His father pushed open the door and Al stepped inside.

Bent over one of the hospital beds, her back to them, was Aunt Mione. She turned around when Harry said, "Hermione? Al's here." She nodded, and then stepped back. What Al saw turned his blood to ice.

Lying in the bed, her white-blond hair spread over the pillow, was Ellie. Her eyes were closed, and her hands clasped. For a horrible moment, Al thought she was dead, but then he saw her chest rise, and knew she was merely unconscious. He took a few tentative steps closer, as if he were walking through a dream world. Her face had no markings on it, perfectly serene, expressionless. He reached out to touch her hand, and was upset to find it was cold as ice. He stared at her, unwilling to believe what he was seeing.

"She's been like this since she was found, late last night, by Professor Longbottom. She appears to be unmarked, and merely unconscious. We have yet to figure out what spell was cast that made her like this."

"Maybe a Memory Charm." suggested Al. Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Memory Charms don't usually have this kind of effect unless….unless the person it was performed on was especially vulnerable to them."

"She was," said Al, "I remember. In fourth year, when we learned Memory Charms, I was her partner, and when I cast it, she fainted. She said she had always reacted like that."

"But that only happens when a person has been submitted to multiple Memory Charms, perhaps even overlapping." Hermione was frowning. "We won't know for sure until she comes to."

Al had been excused from his classes. He sat, watching her. Benedict Riddle was due any second to pick up his sister and take her home. Al had been allowed to stay because Harry, knowing his son's relationship to Ellie, had thought that he would be the best one to get her to talk. Al's hand was still over Ellie's, trying to warm it.

Around noon, Ellie's dark blue eyes fluttered open. Al beamed at her. "Ellie! Thank goodness! We didn't know if you were going to wake up!" Ellie smiled at Al. "Of course, silly, I couldn't miss classes." Then she frowned. "How did you get in here, anyways?" Al gave her a strange look. "Ellie. You're in the Hospital Wing." Her eyes got huge. "Why?" Al frowned, saying, "You don't know?" Ellie shook her head. "The last thing I remember was getting ready for bed." She frowned. "I don't remember actually going to sleep, but I was definitely in the dorm." Al bit his lip. It looked like she had been charmed, after all.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey were gathered around Ellie and Al. Harry was frowning. Hermione said, "Now that she's awake, shouldn't you two be getting on with your investigation?" Harry and Ron nodded, then left. Professor McGonagall said, "Miss Riddle, your brother should be here momentarily. Ellie smiled, then sank back into the pillows. She was thinking.

Ellie knew she'd been Obliviated, but she didn't know how she knew. The feeling of something being not quite right with her memory was familiar to her. She couldn't remember how or why. There was something important she couldn't remember.

Al had been watching Ellie think when the door flew open. In came a tall young man Al could only assume was Benedict Riddle. He looked like Ellie, down to the precise shape of his eyes, the cheekbones, the hair. He was obviously related to her, although several years older. He said, in a low voice, "Ellie?" Ellie turned her head so fast she might have gotten whiplash. "Ben!" she cried. She sat up, letting go of Al's hand to hug her brother. "Oh, Ben, this is Al. You know, my friend." Her brother smiled at him. "Ah, so this is the famous Al I've been hearing so much about?" Al nodded. "Well, Ellie, I think it's high time we got home." Ellie smiled, then took her brother's arm as he lead her out of the Hospital Wing. Al trailed behind them, thinking. He felt that something was a little off about Ben, that he seemed familiar. Al tried to tell himself that it was just because he looked so much like Ellie.

But as he watched them step into a carriage, he couldn't help feeling that there was something wrong.


	6. The return

**Second chapter today!**

Ellie stumbled, hardly able to catch her breath. She didn't wince as she fell, because her legs were so numb it didn't matter. She didn't notice the blood trickling from her knee and hand when she stood up. She had one purpose, and she was going to fulfill it. She ran onwards, up the steep, muddy hill, away from the lights of the village. She was crying by now, but the drenching rain made it impossible to tell her tears from the drops. She was almost there.

She threw herself against the iron gates, watching with relief as they swung open. She fell, face down, into the mud around the base of the gate. She staggered upright, hardly able to keep walking. The urge to get away had long since faded, and she knew she was going to be safe.

She continued on, fighting fatigue and hysteria at her situation. She fell several more times, managing to scratch her face and clothes. She finally made it up the gravel path, tripping over her own feet.

She fell, finally, against the massive wooden doors. She lay on the slippery marble steps as rain continued to soak her mud-stained blond curls, staring at the door she didn't have the strength to reach.

She saw a light swing over her head, heard a vaguely familiar voice, and then, she saw and heard no more.

Al sighed. It had been almost a week since Ellie had left with her brother. He was bored without his best friend. Scor and Rose were always too busy with prefect duties to meet him in the library in the evenings, and neither would help him with his homework. He wished Ellie could have stayed. He sighed again, telling himself that that was selfish, that she was better off with her brother, and that she would be back.

He rubbed a hand across his eyes. Her face flashed in front of him. He remembered the last time they had been in the library together, the night before the writing on the Great Hall's doors. He remembered her blushing, and wondered, idly, what she could have been embarrassed about. She had looked very pretty that day. Wait, what was he thinking? Ellie was his best friend, she wasn't supposed to be pretty. Or beautiful. And yet, he realized that she was both.

_Al was running along a corridor, running from some sort of demon behind him. Ellie was holding his hand, leading him through a virtual maze of rooms, tears streaming down her face, begging him not to turn around. They ran into a room that had no other door. There was a portrait of a woman hanging over the fireplace. Ellie, but with light green eyes. The lock behind them clicked. Both spun around to face a shadowy man. Ellie was screaming when suddenly, green light filled the room. He was Ellie, suspended for an instant, her eyes wide with horror. But they weren't her eyes. They were the eyes of the woman in the portrait. Then she fell to the floor._

Al woke up with a start, covered in sweat, and tangled up in his blankets. It was very early morning, so he decided not to go back to sleep. He thought about his dream, wondering what he could have been thinking about to make him dream something like that.

As he dressed, the dream was put to the back of his mind. He walked slowly down the stairs, not bothering to take his bag with him yet. He wandered aimlessly, because it was not yet time for breakfast.

He found himself outside the Hospital Wing. He was surprised to hear voices coming from under the door. He was even more surprised when he recognized one of them as his father's.

Al had stopped outside the door, ear pressed to the wood. "-found her on the castle steps." His father was saying.

"And no indication of how or why she was there?" That was McGonagall.

"None." Aunt Mione.

Their voices dropped even lower. All Al could catch were snippets. "-think it was an attack? –wouldn't be- how did she- about her brother? –a thing. –confusing situation- never heard of- happened here! – unprecedented- investigation-Shh!" The last sound was definitely his father. He heard footsteps on the other side of the door, so he sprang back.

The door swung open, revealing his father. He looked older than Al had ever seen him. His normally bright green eyes had dulled, his face seemed to hold more lines, and he was a little stooped. "Al." he said. He didn't seem angry, only sad. "What's wrong?" asked Al. His father sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"This is not the way I wanted you to find out."

Al entered the Hospital Wing warily. He knew something was seriously wrong. He saw many people he knew, both professors and others. But all this faded into the background when he saw her.

She was lying on the hospital bed, half curled as if trying to protect herself, bruised and scratched and even bandaged in some places. Her normally neat curls were a mess, tangled all down her back. She seemed to be in a heavy sleep. He crossed the room, hardly able to walk straight, to stand at her bedside. He reached out to touch her hand, but she recoiled. She sniffled, and a tear ran down her cheek. Her bottom lip was slightly swollen, and a light bruise dusted her cheekbone. Al swallowed, his mind swirling with thoughts.

She shifted, and the blanket slipped off her right shoulder. Al fought back a sob. Black against her pale skin, looking as though it had been engraved there, was a circular symbol.

It was a perfect circle, crossed with lines to make a five-point star. Each of the points was emphasized by a black dot. At the center of the star, there were two overlapping runes. He didn't recognize them until he tilted his head. He gasped, because when you looked at the symbol from the right angle, the runes became an N and an R. Al backpedaled, half tripping. He fell to the floor with a crash, his head reeling.

"Al?" It was a soft, familiar voice, but tinged with a rough edge, as though she had been screaming. Al looked up at Ellie, her dark eyes staring at him. For the first time, he noticed glints of green in the deep blue. This only reminded him sickeningly of his dream. "Where am I?" the voice spoke again, faintly colored with fear. Al stared into her wide, slightly vacant eyes, and felt that he was going to be sick.

**I admit it. I want reviews. :)**


	7. The house

**Author's Note: I went back to school today for the first time in FOREVER. that's why this is the only chapter today. :(**

Al tagged along behind his father. Harry had his wand out, ready to fight, should the need arise. Harry had only allowed Al to come on this mission because of Ellie. She was, by her own account, needed in order to get into Chomer Mansion, where she lived. And Al had been Ellie's support for the past three days.

_Ellie sat in the moonlight, crying. Al had just come into the room. Her white gown glowed against the window, and her long hair tumbled down her back. Her head was bent forward, covered by her arms as she drew her knees to her chest. _

"_Ellie?" Al whispered. She looked up._

"_Al. Oh, thank goodness you're here. I can't stand to see the mark." Her New Regime tattoo gleamed in the moonlight. The glowing rune gave Al the creeps. He had found out that it was only visible in the nighttime. Something about the moonlight made it glow. Ellie shuddered and rubbed her arm as if she was trying to rub the tattoo off. Al sat next to her on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him, uncurling just enough to let her head rest against his neck. She sobbed. Al felt her tears soaking through his shirt, but he made no move to leave. _

_Ellie didn't remember a thing, and he knew she needed him there._

Al sighed. He tightened his grasp on Ellie's hand. She looked up at him, wide eyes flickering with something like fear. They were outside the village by Chomer Mansion, heading up the hill to the craggy peak that the manor clung to. Al was struck by the silhouette of the tall, thin house against the rising moon. He knew he would never forget it. But Ellie had.

_Harry kneaded his forehead with his hands. Ellie sat across from him, clutching Al's hand tightly in both of hers. She had just told Harry, Ron, and Hermione that she didn't remember anything of her stay at her house, or whatever had happened thereafter. Hermione was watching her closely. The candles flickered, and Harry looked up. _

"_Hermione thinks that you may eventually make a recovery. What ever happened, it was obviously something big, and we know this is not your first memory charm, either. The potential to throw it off, or break through it, is much greater."_

"_We suspect," started Hermione, "that whoever cast the Memory Charm on you the first time was also responsible for the second. We think it best if we go to investigate your home, see if your brother's still there."_

_Ellie's eyes flashed. "Are you accusing Ben of doing this to me? Ben would never hurt me, he loves me. If anything, he got hurt trying to protect me."_

"_That may well be, but we still think it would be helpful to launch an investigation."_

_Ellie nodded, then glanced up at Al. he squeezed her hand reassuringly. _

"_Alright." Ellie agreed. "But you'll need to take me with you. I'm the only one who can get you in."_

And so now, here they were, climbing the steep path to the house. Ellie was leading the way. Al still held her hand, but he was behind her now. Ellie seemed to get quieter as the house drew nearer. When they were about halfway up the hill, they reached an iron gate. Ellie frowned, as though searching for something. She concentrated a moment longer, then broke into a small smile. She walked up to the iron gate. It was surrounded by tall bushes with vines, full of thorns, curling through the leaves. Ellie walked until she was less than a foot away from the gate. She beckoned for the others to stand right behind her.

"Be very quiet," she said, "and very still." Everyone froze. Al watched her, hardly daring to breath. She reached a white hand out to touch the iron gate, whispering,

"House of my fathers,

House of my kin,

Open your doors,

And let me in."

The ground around Ellie's feet glowed, and, for an instant, Al could make out a rune engraved in shining silver against the dark ground. Then, the light faded, and, with it, the fence. Ellie turned and smiled. "My ancestors were very fearful of those not of our blood coming to claim the Chomer Mansion. Thus the guards."

The little group made their way through the winding garden path. Ellie whispered, "In times of a lockdown, this garden becomes an impossible maze. We are lucky." Harry got the feeling, as they progressed, that this family was not the type you wanted to mess with.

After the maze, they were led to the front door. The high mahogany doors, smooth and forbidding, glowed softly in the moonlight. The doorway was framed by bloodred roses. They grew high up the face of the house, almost reaching the battlements. Al stared up. He caught a glimpse of glass reflecting the moonlight high in the tower that stood over the entrance. Ellie sighed. She leaned her palm against the door.

"I can't quite remember how to do this. I know there's one surefire way of opening that door, but I'd prefer not to have to use it. Hmm…." Ellie sat on the front step. The cold white marble reflected over her skin, casting a pallid glow on her skin. She put her head in her hands.

Al sat next to her. She turned her head to smile at him. "I know I knew how to do this. I just can't quite remember. It's so frustrating!" she whispered. Al smiled back at her. She rolled her eyes, then gave him another, sadder, smile. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She concentrated so hard. But all she could feel her mind doing was slipping off that smooth barrier in her mind. It felt like an overturned fishbowl. She knew it was there, she knew what should be in it, but she couldn't grasp on to it. It took her almost ten minutes to finally remember. Her smile slowly grew. She sprang up, knocking Al's hand out of the way.

Facing the door once more, she placed a palm on it. She recited, her voice cooler than Al had ever heard it, a little poem.

"Roses red,

Violets blue,

Feel my blood

And let me through."

She winced, and then the doors began to glow. It was only because Al was standing next to her that he noticed the tiny spiraling patterns, shimmering in every color of the rainbow. From far away, it simply glowed. The patterns moved, writhing and twisting so that the patterns seemed to be centered on Ellie's hand. Darkness seemed to seep over the spirals, starting at her hand and twisting outwards until they covered every inch of the huge doors. When the doors at last fell dark, Ellie sighed. She removed her hand from the door, holding it tenderly. Al took it from her, and was horrified to see tiny pricks, as if from a pin, all over her hand. She was bleeding ever so slightly from each one, giving her hand a faint red sheen. She smiled bitterly at Al. "Old tradition." She whispered. Then, she raised her other hand and pushed the door open. The mahogany behemoth creaked open at her faint touch as though it were a feather. Ellie turned to glance back at the group, and, seizing Al's hand, led them into the cold, dark entrance hall to her home.


	8. the discovery

**Author's Note: I'm baaaaaccccckkkkk. **

Al shuddered as he stepped into the entrance hall of Ellie's house. She seemed to change, growing colder and quieter. The white marble expanded before them, leading to dark, polished wood staircases to a variety of rooms. High windows surrounded the circular room, and the red and gold chairs set against the curved wall glittered in the faint moonlight. Ellie swallowed.

"This way." She whispered.

The group trooped up the stairs, taking Ellie's lead and being absolutely silent. Al was a little worried about his normally cheerful friend. He squeezed her hand a little tighter. She turned around and smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. He frowned again, once she had turned back to face the stairs.

They had reached the first landing. The staircase spiraled on, but Ellie crept forward into the dark hallway. There was very little light here, illuminated by a single lamp set at the other end of the long corridor. It was lined with doors, set back into the crème walls. The dark doors were all closed. Al gulped. Harry tightened his grip on his wand, and Ron grabbed Hermione's shoulder. Ellie turned.

"Be very quiet," she whispered, "for ever though my brother isn't here, there are a great deal of protective spells. Watch your step."

The group was split up. The adults were all going to search the house for evidence of Ellie's imprisonment. Harry turned to Al and Ellie where they stood by the stairs.

"Stay here, don't move. We'll be back." The two nodded, watching Harry's retreating figure. The light at the end of the corridor glinted off his coal black hair before he turned a corner and was gone. Ellie waited for a few seconds before turning to Al.

"Al, come with me."

"But Dad said-"

"I know my own house."

Al had to admit she had a point, that she most certainly knew the house the best of them all. She led Al to the closest mahogany door, pressing her ear against it. She winced as a spell threw her away from the door and she landed in a heap on the thick carpet. She stood up, dusting herself off.

"Well, that defense is still in place, so I'm going to have to assume that the others are too."

"Ellie, where are you trying to go?"

She turned, and smiled at him.

"You'll see." Then she turned to an ornamental mirror beside the door.

"Help for me, help for my friend, show me the means to achieve my end."

Al raised his eyebrows.

"What's up with all the rhymes, Ellie?"

She gave him a look, as if to say do we really have to talk about it here? He smirked in response.

"Just asking."

"Old tradition, okay?"

"Of course."

Ellie turned back to the mirror. For a minute, it showed her reflection, but then, it wavered, as if someone had dropped a stone into a still pool. When the image settled, it showed Ellie doing a complex wand movement and saying something. A light burst out of the end of her wand, and formed the glowing symbol of the New Order on the dark wood of the door. Ellie cursed. Al looked up.

"What?"

"Two things. One, I still don't know the spell to get in, and two, my brother is definitely a member of the New Order."

"Can you figure it out?"

"I think so, but it might freak you out a little. Stand back."

"Okay….." Al backed against the wall.

Ellie held her wand and slowly drew a circle, while reciting, "_Open fur mich die Zeit des Kreises_." A thin band of light trailed behind her wand. Slowly, there began a flickering within the circle, and Al could see a faint change of light. It took a few seconds, but the door, now inside the circle, was most definitely lighter then it had been five seconds ago.

"_Schneller_!" Ellie whispered. The light sped up, the flickering became more insistent. The door opened, in broad daylight, it seemed, and a man walked backwards into it. Al recognized the man as Ellie's brother, Ben. A few more seconds past before Ellie cried, "_Halten Sie_!"

The flickering light slowed until it settled. A man walked into the frame, seemingly from the stairs, and stood before the door.

He held his wand up at shoulder level. He drew the complicated pattern that Al had seen Ellie doing in the mirror. He commanded, in a harsh voice, "_Öffnen Sie die Türen des Lernens zu mir, die ihnen Befehle_!" the door swung open, and Ben entered.

Ellie swallowed. She whispered, "_Bitte Ende mein Zauber_."

She relaxed against the doorframe. She reached for Al's hand, which he readily gave her.

"What language was that?" he whispered.

"German. My family is German, and this house has been imbibed with enough magic, that within its doors, German will command magic. A sort of magic language, I guess."

"What is all this doing in England?"

"My ancestors moved the house here centuries ago, when the Austrian _Magier des Bosen_ threatened to overrun Germany. No big."

"Wow, Ellie. And I thought my family was strange."

Ellie rolled her eyes.

"C'mon Al, we have got to get in there before your dad and the others get back."

Ellie stood before the door, just as Ben had done, and waved her wand, just as Ben had done, and recited the spell. The door swung open with a pop.

Ellie turned to the boy beside her.

"You ready for this, Al?"

He took her hand.

"I think I always was, Ellie."

With a deep breath, the two stepped over the threshold of the room.

Al was puzzled. The room didn't seem scary, or intimidating. It was a fairly regular looking study.

"Uh, Ellie, you sure this is the place?"

Ellie looked up.

"Yes, why?"  
"Cause it just seems like a normal study to me.

"It isn't. Normal, I mean. It is a study. My brother's study, actually. I've never been in here."

Al raised his eyebrows. His father didn't like them in his study, but he never went as far as to actually lock them out. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to live in a house that you had never seen parts of.

"I found something!"

This came from Ellie, who had been shuffling through the papers on the desk.

"I think it's my brother's journal. Here Al, you take it."

Ellie held out the black bound journal to him.

"You sure?"

"Yes, very."

Al nodded. He went to take it when his eye was caught by a photograph on the desk. It was old looking, even for black and white. He frowned and knelt to look closer. Ellie coughed.

"Al, the book."

"Ellie, look at this picture."

Ellie tucked the book into Al's robes pocket, and bent to look at the picture.

The picture showed a young woman, obviously blonde, smiling happily in one of the seats he had seen downstairs. She was playing with a small baby boy. Sitting in the chair next to her was an imposing young man with black hair and dark eyes. He seemed to be staring straight into the camera.

"Oh," said Ellie. "That's my great grandmother and grandfather. And their son, my grandfather. It was taken years ago, back in the late 40's."

Al touched the girl's face and she smiled.

"What's her name?"

"Elora Chomer. She was the last of this family to be called Chomer. That man is Tom Riddle, her husband."

"Riddle? Like your last name?"

"Exactly like my last name."

"But, darling sister, don't you mean OUR last name?"

The two at the desk looked up, breath freezing in their throats.

"Ben." Ellie whispered.

"Oh God." Whispered Al.

"Hello darling sister."

Ben stepped from the shadows, twirling his wand in his thin fingers. He was smirking evilly, a glint in his eyes.

"What a pleasant surprise."


	9. the choice

**Author's Note: this story is actually alive! I was having plot issues, but it's ironed out now!**

"Well, well, well! We have gotten ourselves in trouble now, haven't we?"

Ben chuckled. Ellie stiffened in fright. Al swallowed and stared at the man before them defiantly.

"You always were too curious for your own good, Ellie. And this time, it may mean the death of those you love."

"NO!" Ellie screamed, moving to stand in front of Albus. "You aren't killing anyone else, Ben. I refuse to let you murder him."

"Ah, so protective. That's my baby sister. What would you give to protect him?"

Ellie looked down.

"Anything." She whispered. Al started, staring at his friend.

"Anything? My, my. Such strong….attachment. I'll give you a choice. You join my cause, and he walks. Or, you stay, and I kill you both."

"Ha," Ellie muttered, "that's not a choice at all."

"No, Ellie, don't. Don't listen to him, we can get out of this!"

Ellie turned to face her best friend,

"No, Al, we can't."

Ben smirked.

"She's right, you know. This room is separate from any particular space. There's no leaving unless I bid it."

Al gritted his teeth.

"I can't let you do this, Ellie."

"You can't stop me."

Ben grinned.

"You could always join us, Potter. Then you wouldn't have to watch Ellie sacrifice herself for you. And a Potter would lend credence to our cause!"

"Never!" Al hissed.

"Ah, it's not all that bad. We aren't murderers. In fact, we are the opposite. We wish to set every witch and wizard on the face of this planet free. We merely want a return to the old ways, the ways of those glorious days before the creation of the Elder wand and the binding of magic to words and motion, when magic was controlled sheerly by thought."

"You're talking about wandless magic."

"NO! That's where you're wrong. I'm talking about pure magic, no wands needed at all. The primeval form of out power. That's what I'm talking about."

"That's crazy. No one can reverse something like that, it would kill you!"

"Do you know who bound the wands? The Four Founders! Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. Four founders who left four objects of power. Their lines have died out, but their power remains. And, of course, the power of an Heir will be needed to transform and control the power. That's what the New Regime means."

Al shook his head.

"I will never join you! and I won't let Ellie join either!"

"Ah, you will have no choice in the matter. My sister was a member since birth."

Ellie hung her head.

"Al, I was going to tell you about it, but I never thought it was important. I never meant to hide it, but I never thought it was what the New Regime was about!"

Al stared at her.

"You knew about this?"

"I did. I've been hearing these stories since birth. I made a promise, to Ben, when we were small, that I would help him find the objects, and help him reverse the binding."

"Ellie…"

"Don't be angry, Al."

"I don't think I am."

Ben rolled his eyes.

"How touching. Now, its time to say your goodbyes to the Potter boy, darling sister. You will never see him again, except maybe across the battlefield."

Ellie shook her head.

"Goodbye, Al."

"Ellie, I can't leave you!"

"You have to. I won't let you stay!"

"Why not?"

"Because, Albus Severus Potter, I am in love with you."

Al's eyes widened. Had she really just said what he thought she'd said? Ellie, Ellie loved him back?

"I love you too." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Ellie smiled. She bent forward a little bit, closing the gap between their faces, and lightly kissed him. Al grabbed her waist and held her as tight as he could.

"GEH!" came the command from Ben. Al was thrown backwards, his cheek sliced on the corner of the desk. Drops of blood splattered the carpet. Ellie screamed, but Al was thrown through the doors.

"Well, sister. This is an interesting development. You will be the perfect member of the New Regime."

While he spoke to her, he drew a glass vial from his pocket, and collected the drops of blood that dripped from the desk corner. Ellie started crying.

"LET ME BACK IN!" Al was hammering on the door, screaming. He heard footsteps running, but they didn't register.

"Al, what the hell are you doing?" Harry pulled his son away from the door. "Where's Ellie?"

"That's just it, Dad. She's in the study with Ben Riddle. He's New Regime, their leader, I think. And Ellie is one of them now."

"Oh, God. We have to get out of here."

"I'm not leaving Ellie!"

"Al, there's nothing you can do for her! We have to leave!"

And so, Albus Potter was dragged away from the study door, and the girl he loved.


	10. The talks

**A/N: first chapter in a loooooong time...**

Al hadn't seen Ellie since her choice to go with her brother earlier that month. He was practically eaten alive by the worry.

Rory was there for him, even if the rest of his family felt that Ellie had betrayed them.

But Al knew she hadn't. He had seen the spark in her eyes, the tears that had been threatening to overflow from her eyes as she had turned away from him. He knew that she hadn't betrayed him.

"I just don't know what to tell you, Al."

Albus sighed as he turned over. Rory was sitting on the end of his bed, having escaped the clutches of his older brother for a few minutes.

"I know she's a good person, but I can't help wondering where her loyalties truly lie."

Al grunted. It was the same argument she always used, that she couldn't be sure. That was Rory's problem, that she was never sure, never fully committed. They would be coming back from summer break in a few short days, but Al had given up hope of seeing Ellie again.

"Thanks, Rory, but you should really get back to James. I know he's worried about you."

Rory gave him an apologetic look before sighing and leaving the room, leaving Al to deal with his thoughts.

No matter what he did, his thoughts inevitably returned to Ellie. He thought of the past March, the last time they had really been truly happy together. He remembered the soft looks she had given him, the smiles, the way she smelled, the way her hair looked in the moonlight, the way it felt when her skin brushed against his, the sound of her laughter. But most of all, he remembered her eyes and the way they glittered at him, daring him, teasing him, loving him, all at once.

Loving him.

Al sighed and pushed his face into the pillow, trying to squash the feelings that rose in his chest as he thought of her. And now, he thought, she could be in pain, she could be dead. He shivered at that thought, and tried not to picture her beautiful eyes cold and lifeless. It was too late, though, he had already thought it. He turned his face into the pillow and sobbed.

"I'm worried about Al."

Rory was sitting at the bar of the Potter's kitchen. She should have been asleep hours ago, but she was sitting with Ginny and Harry, drinking hot chocolate and worrying.

Ginny glanced up at her adoptive daughter.

"Because of Ellie?"

Rory nodded. Harry sighed from his corner of the table.

"He can't get it into his head that she's gone, can he?" questioned the patriarch of the Potter household. Rory shook her head sadly, and it was Ginny's turn to sigh. Harry grunted. He'd had enough of betrayal and secrets to last a lifetime. He stood.

"I'm off to bed. Don't stay up too late, girls."

He leaned over and kissed Ginny, then ruffled Rory's hair.

"Goodnight, love," was Ginny's reply.

"Goodnight, Harry," was Rory's.

Ginny bustled around the kitchen, washing out the mugs and wiping down the surfaces of the kitchen with her wand.

"Ginny?"

Rory's question was barely audible over the sound of running water. Ginny turned off the tap, and turned to face the girl she expected to join her family.

"Yes, dear?"

"Well, I'm not really sure how to put this, but I think I know why Al can't get over Ellie…."

Ginny merely raised an eyebrow and gestured for Rory to continue.

"Well, it's just, I think that maybe, Al might possibly be…in love with Ellie."

Ginny smiled.

"Ah, I'm not the only one to reach that conclusion, am I?"

Rory looked up, a little startled.

"I hadn't realized you noticed, actually."

Rory shook her head. She never should have underestimated the power of a mother.

"Well," Ginny continued, "Al seems to be more emotionally aware than his father, at least."

Rory giggled a little at the mention of Ginny and Harry's school days.

"No, Ginny, I'm pretty sure he doesn't even realize. But if he ever does, he'll be set for life, because anyone can see that that girl is in love with him."

"If we get her back, you mean."

The kitchen fell silent at that thought.

And so it happened that no one in the Potter household went to bed happy that night. Excluding Lily, of course.


End file.
